Wednesday 19 October 2011
Wednesday 4 May 2011
Filming Diary
To film we emptied the room to create a blank working space, this enabled us to be able to place the pictures on the wall in the locations easily and to have the television set in the location that would best suite our filming. Before we started to film we had to cut out the pictures of the females, we purposefully cut them and stuck them up wonky to show the disorganised mind of the stalker.
After we film the piece when we uploaded to the Mac we then saw that the piece was to dark and couldnt see the main features of the piece clearly, which was the television, the stalkers hand and the mask on the side to show it was set in the stalkers house. We went back and refilmed the bits that needed changing the next day, now the piece has the same light saturation the entire way through so keeps the continuity going.
After we film the piece when we uploaded to the Mac we then saw that the piece was to dark and couldnt see the main features of the piece clearly, which was the television, the stalkers hand and the mask on the side to show it was set in the stalkers house. We went back and refilmed the bits that needed changing the next day, now the piece has the same light saturation the entire way through so keeps the continuity going.
Monday 2 May 2011
Research into similar products
Other film productions follow the same conventions of horror as our film. We have found through research that horror films set in a normal household setting are usually scarier as the audience can relate to the fear. Using personal identity people can begin to imagine and it will happen to them in real life. For example the stalker in our film is viable to be real so people would think about the stalker when on their own or in situations the same as the film. A film that uses this heavily is Strangers (2008.) In this film the use of an average home setting and household items to bring fear. The fire alarm is used to show how a normal household item can be used to cause fear and unknowing. The same technique is used in Scream (1996) where the telephone ringing is used to cause the fear of the unknown caller. The use of a stalker is used in this film. It is not used in the samer form as in our opening. In our opening you can't see the stalker, this is the same as in our opening where you can't see who the stalker is. If our film was made into a full length feature we would have shown the killer/stalkers true identity towards the end. By keeping the identity of the killer a secret it heightens the "fear factor"
In our film opening we have decided to not show any of the actual characters that are in our film. This is to show how big the news is that it is on television and many people are worrying about it. By using this technique we have shown how the murders are causing many people to worry and that it is not stuck within a smaller group. This is making sure our piece would be enjoyed more by a vaster audience.
We have used a mask same as Scream (1996) this is to heighten and mask the identity of the killer. Films such as Friday thirteenth (2009) and Halloween (1979) the use of masks has been used throughout the genre of horror. It is used to show that the face of the killer could be anyone so people realise that the face under the mask could be anyone. This is also used through superhero films such as Batman (1989) and throughout the group of films surrounding the character of "Batman" other superhero films which uses the hidden identity to show it could be just an average member of the public is Spiderman (2002.)
The opening of our film shows that many murders have taken place already, this style of introduction is similar to Dawn of the Dead (2004) opening. In this opening you begin to see the chaos that is raging through the world so you straight away see where the film is set and what situation the character finds themself in. We wanted to use this same theme of opening so less time would be spent explaining the story and more time for the story to expand.
The opening of our film shows that many murders have taken place already, this style of introduction is similar to Dawn of the Dead (2004) opening. In this opening you begin to see the chaos that is raging through the world so you straight away see where the film is set and what situation the character finds themself in. We wanted to use this same theme of opening so less time would be spent explaining the story and more time for the story to expand.
In our film opening we have decided to not show any of the actual characters that are in our film. This is to show how big the news is that it is on television and many people are worrying about it. By using this technique we have shown how the murders are causing many people to worry and that it is not stuck within a smaller group. This is making sure our piece would be enjoyed more by a vaster audience.
Placement of Titles in a Clip
Placement of Titles in a Clip
I have looked at a recent film to do with my chosen genre, the film I have chosen is Zombieland. This film is classed as a Zom-Com but the opening is a serious part of the film and shows the way that horror is shown in film openings.
Zombieland (2009)
0:01 – Columbia Pictures – Institution logo
0:10 – In association with Relativity Media – company
0:17 – Director
0:21 – Woody Harrelson – Actor
0:28 – Film Title
0:35 – Jesse Einsenberg – Actor
0:42 – Emma Stone – Actress
0:45 – Abigail Dresun – Actress
0:50 – Casting Director
0:52- Costume Designer
0:57 – Music Director
1:05 – Editors
1:09 – Production Designer
By analysing this clip I have found out the structure that the genre of horror place the titles in their films.
I will place this style onto my work to create the same feel as this one.
I will place this style onto my work to create the same feel as this one.
Student Film Openings
To help me gain a better understanding of film openings i have looked at 3 student film openings, i have stated their strengths and weaknesses to find out what i need to include and what not to do in my final piece.
Student Opening One- Peephole
Strengths-
Weakness-
Viewing other students work has highlighted common mistakes, two of the story openings have closed narratives, this gives them the feeling of a film trailer in comparison to a film opening. The use of music in all three creates the tension and mood of the opening, Peephole and Fugitive both allow the viewer to understand the characters situation whereas Solitude did not so the viewing of this clip was not as easy.
In my piece I will be sure to check for continuity in my filming so the opening is easier to follow and looks proffesional, my work will end with a open narrative so it shows that it is a film opening.
Student Opening One- Peephole
Strengths-
- The transistions fit in with the piece and do not look out of place and enhance the piece by making it easier to understand.
- The setting was well chosen and fit well with the genre.
- The editing made the genre stand out and made a difference to the atmosphere by making it scary.
- A wide variation of shots were used to create a larger view of what was happening so the film was not one dimensional.
- Too much information was given away so you couldn't see where the film was going.
- It had a closed ending so you could not see the film going anywhere from there.
- The titles dont match the genre, they felt out of touch and took away the concentration on what was happening.
- The title duration changes, which made the piece looked rushed.
- Storyline was not easy to follow so concentration dwindled.
Strengths-
- The characters were introduced well and allowed the viewer to have their own views on them.
- The editing create fear with jump cuts and the editing of people into the frame then quickly out again.
- The music created tension which helped portray the genre of horror well.
- The jump cuts went throughout the piece but they did not break up the piece so much it wasnt hard to follow.
Weakness-
- The opening looked to much like a trailer, with the extended use of jump cuts it didn't look like the opening was going anywhere.
- Again with the inclusion of jump cuts the opening became discontinous so couldn't see where the opening was going.
- The titles are on too long so takes away fear factor
Strengths-
- The opening finished with an open narrative so was a good film opening as could see the film progressing.
- The titles are subtle but easy to read.
- The lack of speech creates tension.
- The music enhances tension
Weakness-
- The production company and name creates different feel to the theme
- With the over use of jump cuts means the opening is harder to follow.
- The continuity was not the best for example - the window wipers are in different positions in different shots.
- The opening means you are unable to view the characters situations.
Viewing other students work has highlighted common mistakes, two of the story openings have closed narratives, this gives them the feeling of a film trailer in comparison to a film opening. The use of music in all three creates the tension and mood of the opening, Peephole and Fugitive both allow the viewer to understand the characters situation whereas Solitude did not so the viewing of this clip was not as easy.
In my piece I will be sure to check for continuity in my filming so the opening is easier to follow and looks proffesional, my work will end with a open narrative so it shows that it is a film opening.
Three Film Openings From my Chosen Genre
I looked into the type of film opening that we would like to create, to do this i looked at openings from horror and phycological thriller films. By doing this i will gain a better understanding of what should be included in the opening of our film.
The Shining (1980)
0.00- 2.50
Narrative: The opening shows a women talking to a stranger on the phone and the events then turn sinister. This shows the audience that the film will follow this pattern as the man calls women and kills/stalks them.
Genre: The genre which is shown from the openingof this film is horror as in the first few seconds you see the color red and a woman screaming,this is only in the titles so the genre is made clear at the start. It also has a very dark atmosphere and makes you feel very tense which makes you wonder what is going to happen next.
Atmosphere: The atmosphere from the beginning is a very dramatic and tense up until 10 seconds as the music is very screechy and then the screaming begins which builds up to a loud ringing which indicates that the phone is the main source of a problem in the film as it is highlighted at the beginning. This is using a technique by using a regular household item and turning it into a weapon of fear. Then after the ringing stops the atmosphere becomes calm again as there is little noise, it seems like nothing is threatening but when the phone rings again you can see that caller will not leave her alone.
Titles: The only title in this sequence is right at the beginning and is 'Scream', this shows this is the title of the film and also the red color of it also signifies death to tie the film into the genre of horror. It also has a very dramatic entrance and grabs the audience's attention, which makes the audience want to watch on.
Sound: It begins with a distant screeching sound and then gradually the volume level increases, the screeching then ends with a loud bang. It is at this point that the title appears. Then the phone starts ringing and so does a scream. All of this creates a tense atmosphere and the volume of each sound changes which has a knock on affect on the audience. The other sounds throughout the opening are the popcorn popping which escalates at the same time as the situation and the crickets outside, swinging of the tree, all of these help create a realistic environment and make the audience believe that is real. This is done so it is kept as close to verisimilitude as possible.
Characters: The only character we see in the opening 2.50 is a young female who from her white outfit which connotes innocence, you also see an insight into her life which makes the audience feel more close to her. The other character is only a male voice on the other side of the phone and you do not see him at all. Not seeing the male character creates a sense of fear as you do not know where he is and what he is doing.
Theme: The theme of the opening is the phone it goes on for a long time and is the main focus. The other themes are mystery as you do not know what the mans motives or plans are.
Setting: The setting's is the young females large house which we see a lot of as she is constantly moving about. Another setting is the outside of the house and you can see the size of the house that the female is in, also shows that is dark outside which connotes danger and the unknowing.
The Shining (1980)
In the beginning opening scene of “The shinning” (1980) the soundtrack starts off with brass instruments playing quietly whilst getting louder throughout the clip. The pace starts to get faster and faster before the brass instruments just keep a constant sound in the background whilst string instruments start playing and take over with a sound that builds big tension in the background. The sound effects of the soundtrack keep getting faster and faster building up tension which relates to the psychological horror by building the tension of the film up until they just stop and the brass instruments start again until the end of the clip which relates to a psychological horror as we believe that something will happen then nothing happens, the music plays with the audiences minds.
Throughout the clip of “the shinning” the clip uses natural lighting, this added to the mysterious music builds tension to the scene. The fact the car driving in the scene is on its own throughout the clip without any other cars helps trick the audience into believing that something is about to happen, this also helps represent the genre of psychological horror by building up suspense in the opening. The opening creates the mood of a horror by allowing the audience to know something will happen through the music and the setting. The horror isn’t completely obvious so is classed as a psychological horror as it creates horror through the unknown rather than the horror being at the forefront.
American Physco (2000)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvNL_u6IaRM
(embedding disabled by request)
American Physco (2000)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvNL_u6IaRM
(embedding disabled by request)
In the opening scene of this film the soundtrack plays a vital role, it straight away shows the time that it is from, it is a song that is famous from the 1980’s. The song chosen is a very eerie song that echoes around the room, it creates a feeling of unease against a backdrop of people dancing and having a good time. This song helps this opening fit in with the theme of a psycho- Horror. The dialogue seems normal until the female is out of ear shot when the man threatens her, this shows the seediness of the bar and its inhabitants through the initial view that all seems normal it shows that the film will not be a straight forward horror.
The genre of the film is of Psycho- Horror. This is shown through different methods, these include the sound and the dialogue, and they go onto other less obvious things. The actors are all shown to be shady characters through the backhand money transitions. The lighting also gives this view as it is low level which creates the sense of danger and unknowing, this coupled with the disco lights creates mystery. The people in the club are shown to be dancing and all happy, but the character at the stereotypical 80’s bar is shown to be a killer or a man to be in fear of. The costumes all points back to the film being set in the 1980’s through the fashion of suites, the makeup which is very extreme and the style of dancing which is “yuppie” dance.
The genre of Psycho- Horror is shown through the way that people are dancing and being happy when a man is threatening to kill a women. This shows that the film would not be an open horror but will be more sneaky and psychological.
Scream (1996)
Scream (1996)
0.00- 2.50
Narrative: The opening shows a women talking to a stranger on the phone and the events then turn sinister. This shows the audience that the film will follow this pattern as the man calls women and kills/stalks them.
Genre: The genre which is shown from the openingof this film is horror as in the first few seconds you see the color red and a woman screaming,this is only in the titles so the genre is made clear at the start. It also has a very dark atmosphere and makes you feel very tense which makes you wonder what is going to happen next.
Atmosphere: The atmosphere from the beginning is a very dramatic and tense up until 10 seconds as the music is very screechy and then the screaming begins which builds up to a loud ringing which indicates that the phone is the main source of a problem in the film as it is highlighted at the beginning. This is using a technique by using a regular household item and turning it into a weapon of fear. Then after the ringing stops the atmosphere becomes calm again as there is little noise, it seems like nothing is threatening but when the phone rings again you can see that caller will not leave her alone.
Titles: The only title in this sequence is right at the beginning and is 'Scream', this shows this is the title of the film and also the red color of it also signifies death to tie the film into the genre of horror. It also has a very dramatic entrance and grabs the audience's attention, which makes the audience want to watch on.
Sound: It begins with a distant screeching sound and then gradually the volume level increases, the screeching then ends with a loud bang. It is at this point that the title appears. Then the phone starts ringing and so does a scream. All of this creates a tense atmosphere and the volume of each sound changes which has a knock on affect on the audience. The other sounds throughout the opening are the popcorn popping which escalates at the same time as the situation and the crickets outside, swinging of the tree, all of these help create a realistic environment and make the audience believe that is real. This is done so it is kept as close to verisimilitude as possible.
Characters: The only character we see in the opening 2.50 is a young female who from her white outfit which connotes innocence, you also see an insight into her life which makes the audience feel more close to her. The other character is only a male voice on the other side of the phone and you do not see him at all. Not seeing the male character creates a sense of fear as you do not know where he is and what he is doing.
Theme: The theme of the opening is the phone it goes on for a long time and is the main focus. The other themes are mystery as you do not know what the mans motives or plans are.
Setting: The setting's is the young females large house which we see a lot of as she is constantly moving about. Another setting is the outside of the house and you can see the size of the house that the female is in, also shows that is dark outside which connotes danger and the unknowing.
Wednesday 27 April 2011
Analysis of how a genre is shown in a film opening.
I have viewed two different openings from different genres to be able to analyse how the genre is shown.
My Best Friends Wedding
Narrative-
There is clearly a wedding about to take place as the females are shown to get into different dresses, one is a stereotypical wedding dress and the others are bridesmaid dresses, this twinned with the happy music and dancing creates the feeling that they are all good friends.
Character-
The characters shown are a bride and her friends, they all seem to be very happy.
Atmosphere-
Themes-
The main themes throughout this piece is weddings and loves, they are all backed up by the way that the actors are portraying the feelings and emotions of the wedding day.
Setting-
The setting of this is in a studio, this is because the only place that would be able to have a complete pink back ground is a studio. It creates a more sterile environment and can be changed the show the different feelings and part of the songs.
Sound-
Catch me if you can
Genre:
The genre of this film is action, this is shown in the fast paced opening.
Narrative-
Leonardo Dicaprio plays a con man who is escaping from Tom Hanks. You know who is playing who as in the opening it makes it obvious who is who throughout the piece. He changes his identity throughout the piece, this is shown by the changing of costumes and settings but the character is easily spotted from others.
Character-
Leonardo DiCaprio is playing a conman who is trying to escape from Tom Hanks. The conman is shown to be sneaky and clever and Tom Hanks is shown to always be a step behind.
Atmosphere-
The atmosphere in this piece is mysterious and tense. This is shown by the chase throughout.
Themes-
The themes running throughout is criminals, con man and excitement. The criminal is shown to be intelligent and always one step ahead of the law.
Setting-
The settings of the piece is in a hospital and a airport it all gives the thought that the con man is tackling established society and yet still wins. These places are contrasted as it later goes into a pool scene which shows the laid back side of the criminal. This is when the police are shown to close down on him.
Sound-
The music is very mysterious and builds up tension throughout the clip.
Title-
The title comes up with a plane, it links in with the story line of the opening, this means that it doesnt stand out as much, but as it is the only writting on the screen it draws your attention to it. This title shot keeps the opening continuous and keeps to the story line.
My Best Friends Wedding
Genre-
The genre shown in this clip is romantic comedy, this is shown by the main female in a wedding dress which connotes love, the actors all seem to be happy and are not taking the roles too seriously which makes it look like a comedy.
There is clearly a wedding about to take place as the females are shown to get into different dresses, one is a stereotypical wedding dress and the others are bridesmaid dresses, this twinned with the happy music and dancing creates the feeling that they are all good friends.
Character-
The characters shown are a bride and her friends, they all seem to be very happy.
The atmosphere of the piece is light and happy, it is friends all getting ready for a wedding so all dancing and singing and not taking life too seriously, the entire piece is predominately female and feminine, this is from a pink background and the entire topic is weddings which are stereotypically feminine.
Themes-
The main themes throughout this piece is weddings and loves, they are all backed up by the way that the actors are portraying the feelings and emotions of the wedding day.
Setting-
The setting of this is in a studio, this is because the only place that would be able to have a complete pink back ground is a studio. It creates a more sterile environment and can be changed the show the different feelings and part of the songs.
Sound-
The music is very happy, it is all about keeping a man, it is shown in this video to be a cheesy song but fits in with the feeling of the video very well.
Title-
The title is written in a invitation style, the type that are used on wedding invites, it makes the viewer feel a part of the peice and shows that the film will be light hearted and centred around a wedding. The colour of the writing is yellow over the top of a pink background this doesnt make the name stand out but the actors are over to one side so your attention is drawn by the words appearing on the screen.
Catch me if you can
Genre:
The genre of this film is action, this is shown in the fast paced opening.
Narrative-
Leonardo Dicaprio plays a con man who is escaping from Tom Hanks. You know who is playing who as in the opening it makes it obvious who is who throughout the piece. He changes his identity throughout the piece, this is shown by the changing of costumes and settings but the character is easily spotted from others.
Character-
Leonardo DiCaprio is playing a conman who is trying to escape from Tom Hanks. The conman is shown to be sneaky and clever and Tom Hanks is shown to always be a step behind.
Atmosphere-
The atmosphere in this piece is mysterious and tense. This is shown by the chase throughout.
Themes-
The themes running throughout is criminals, con man and excitement. The criminal is shown to be intelligent and always one step ahead of the law.
Setting-
The settings of the piece is in a hospital and a airport it all gives the thought that the con man is tackling established society and yet still wins. These places are contrasted as it later goes into a pool scene which shows the laid back side of the criminal. This is when the police are shown to close down on him.
Sound-
The music is very mysterious and builds up tension throughout the clip.
Title-
The title comes up with a plane, it links in with the story line of the opening, this means that it doesnt stand out as much, but as it is the only writting on the screen it draws your attention to it. This title shot keeps the opening continuous and keeps to the story line.
Wednesday 2 February 2011
How Film Openings Show The Genre
To view how large films show the genre of the film in openings i am going to look at film openings and say why they fit in what genre and why, this will aid me when i create my film opening as i can see how films get categorised into genre.
Pineapple Express-
Comedy-
Social Network-
Documentary-
Casino royale-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvr6uRvESvM
(Embedding disabled on clip)
Spy/Action-
A new hope-
Sci-fi
I have found out that the genre i would most like to remake would be a action/horror these genres seem to be better to make as the effects and techniques used are simple, whereas with comedy at our level of expertise it would become slap stick comedy and wouldnt look as professional.
Pineapple Express-
Comedy-
- Uses obvious humour
- Juxtopose of characters (serious/silly)
- Random elements
Social Network-
Documentary-
- Shows the characters intelligence through the conversation
- Shows he will use his intelligence in this films
- It is shown to be a documentary as it is talking about things that have happened (creation of facebook)
Casino royale-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvr6uRvESvM
(Embedding disabled on clip)
Spy/Action-
- Violence
- Slow speech
- Black and white to enhance tension
- Use of weapons
- Dialogue shows the theme of spy
A new hope-
Sci-fi
- Set in space shows it is futuristic
- The costumes used show it is in a different time
- Guns fire lazers to show time
- Robots speeching shows its futuristic
I have found out that the genre i would most like to remake would be a action/horror these genres seem to be better to make as the effects and techniques used are simple, whereas with comedy at our level of expertise it would become slap stick comedy and wouldnt look as professional.
Wednesday 26 January 2011
Analysis of openings of choice
Reservoir Dogs
(Unable to find clip of scene, my analysis starts from 7.33)
Genre-
The genre of this piece is a gangster action film, you get this view as the characters are all in smart suites and walking in a group which causes them to look intimidating. With the theme of gangsters the theme of crime is always there as the thought of gangster brings you back to crime.
Character-
Most of the characters are dressed in suites and ties, this causes them to evoke power, this costume include sunglasses and jewellery which creates the look of a stereotypical gangster. The only character shown to not be wearing a suite is dressed in a blue jumper, he is looked on as the least serious of the group, when the characters all have close ups he is the only one seen to be jumping around and joking, the others are all seen to be happy but not in the immature way he is. Many of the characters are seen to be smoking, some of them are smoking cigars, this again fits in with the stereotype of a gangster.
Atmosphere-
The atmosphere in the opening is tense but shown that the group is comfortable with each other, the look of the group walking down the road as a group creates the feeling that the group is threatening, but it isn’t intimidating which is what gangsters want to achieve.
Themes-
The theme running through out the opening is of friends in a gang, they are all shown to be close and able to talk and have a joke with each other, this shows the group being tight knit.
Setting-
The setting is in a parking lot, it is very run down, this is a juxtaposition to the suites that the characters are wearing, they are very smartly dressed and walking through a run down place, it shows how they are criminals as they stereotypically operate in places like that.
Sound-
The song being played is funky and hints back to the hay day of the gangsters, the song has a funky beat to it which juxtapose to the theme of the film. The lyrics sang over and again in the song is “do it my way” this hints towards the gangsters way of looking on life, as if they have no rules that they live by.
Title-
The titles are orange on a black background which makes them stand out, the actors names come up underneath there face on each of their close ups, this creates the feelings that they are all separate people and have different traits but are as one when in the group when the title Reservoir Dogs comes up behind them when they are walking away.
This is England opening
Genre-
The genre of this opening is in a documentary style, it uses real footage of the times, it uses iconic images of the times, such as the protests, Margaret Thatcher and the Royal wedding this means it is setting the time period it is in which allows the viewer more time to realise the story line then wonder at which time it was set.
Narrative-
The narrative of the opening is showing that it is in the 1980’s it is shown through fashions and fads at the time, these included skin heads and the rubex cube. It also showed you the inner workings of the time, it showed violence and racial hatred, there is a lot of riots and protests shown in this opening, then the Falklands war is shown which is shown after all the rest, this can be shown that at the time the war was on the back of peoples minds and people were more interested in what was going on at home.
Characters-
No main character is shown throughout the clip, many renowned figures from this era are shown, these include Diana and Prince Charles and Margaret Thatcher this again takes the viewer into this time and shows the situation at the time.
Atmosphere-
The atmosphere shown through out this time is show to be revolutionary, with lots of people standing up for what they believe in. There is a lot of aggression at this time and it shows the state of England as almost losing control.
Themes-
The themes that run throughout this opening are new technologies, at this time was when technologies really started to move forward quickly, looking back it is dated but shows the difference in life styles to now. The changes in society are evident through the clashes of nationalities and different groups.
Setting-
The settings all show the main talking points of that era, they show the Royal wedding, Margaret Thatcher and the Falklands war. Another setting that is shown very often is discos, they were very big in the 80’s so again showed the difference in life to the present day.
Sound-
The track playing over the opening is a reggae/ska, this is a very happy sounding song which is juxtaposed to the images on the screen, this gives the view that all these things were happening but people were doing anything about it and were not on peoples minds.
Titles-
The initial titles are white on a black background, this means they stand out, but later on the titles are in the corner of the picture but the viewer is more inclined to be focusing on the action on screen which shows that the director was more interested on the viewer seeing the time it was set.
Apocalpyse Now
Genre-
From the opening you begin to get a feel of what genre this film fits in with. The first shot is of trees that are iconic of the jungles that the vietnam war was fought within. This feeling of war is shown when an army helicoptor flies ahead of the camera. This is made to subtly show the genre of the film is a war/action film.
Narrative-
The opening shows how vast and duanting the war was and how it had a lasting affect on the soilders who fought it. The use of a widespread fire burning in the reflection of the mans eyes is used to show how images like that become engraved on peoples minds. This opening does not glorify war but to show how even if a soilder leaves the "jungle" it never leaves him. This is what the character says later on in the opening. It shows how even though in reletive safety he can not sleep well and is showing signs of mental instability.
Characters-
The character shown is a male soilder. He is not in uniform but you know he is a soilder through his narrative. He is not shown to be smartly dressed as you would expect but instead he is depicted in just shorts and at one point when he is shown to be losing his sanity he is shown to be naked. This could be to show his innocence of such danger and mental strain.
Atmosphere-
The atmosphere is heavy and full of fear and waiting. It is made by the eery soundtrack and the heavy objects that you can see, all of the objects are big and captivating, firstly the trees then the helicoptor then fire which juxtaposes with the image of the soilder laying on his bed, it shows how small one man is compared to the war.
Themes-
The themes that are shown to run through the opening is nature and man made things that kill. It is this juxtaposition that makes the war seem so unnatural, this is shown heavily through the fire which is obviously man made at such a scale but is a natural thing. The biggest theme that runs throughout is the affect war has on the individual.
Setting-
The opening begins with a shot of a forest, the camera is not inside the forest but looking onto it, it is shown to be filmed from off the ground. This is to show how vast the scale of the fighting and destruction is. This is backed up when the fire rages through the forest.
Sound-
The opening starts off in silence to begin with, this is so the audience can take stock and are solely concentrating on the forest. Music slowly starts to play, it is very slow and quiet music which is shown when the camera slowly pans through images of vast destruction and fire, which juxtaposes such a calm song to the death shown on screen.
Titles-
No titles are shown in the opening. This could have been done to make the film seen less staged and truer to life.
(Unable to find clip of scene, my analysis starts from 7.33)
Genre-
The genre of this piece is a gangster action film, you get this view as the characters are all in smart suites and walking in a group which causes them to look intimidating. With the theme of gangsters the theme of crime is always there as the thought of gangster brings you back to crime.
Character-
Most of the characters are dressed in suites and ties, this causes them to evoke power, this costume include sunglasses and jewellery which creates the look of a stereotypical gangster. The only character shown to not be wearing a suite is dressed in a blue jumper, he is looked on as the least serious of the group, when the characters all have close ups he is the only one seen to be jumping around and joking, the others are all seen to be happy but not in the immature way he is. Many of the characters are seen to be smoking, some of them are smoking cigars, this again fits in with the stereotype of a gangster.
Atmosphere-
The atmosphere in the opening is tense but shown that the group is comfortable with each other, the look of the group walking down the road as a group creates the feeling that the group is threatening, but it isn’t intimidating which is what gangsters want to achieve.
Themes-
The theme running through out the opening is of friends in a gang, they are all shown to be close and able to talk and have a joke with each other, this shows the group being tight knit.
Setting-
The setting is in a parking lot, it is very run down, this is a juxtaposition to the suites that the characters are wearing, they are very smartly dressed and walking through a run down place, it shows how they are criminals as they stereotypically operate in places like that.
Sound-
The song being played is funky and hints back to the hay day of the gangsters, the song has a funky beat to it which juxtapose to the theme of the film. The lyrics sang over and again in the song is “do it my way” this hints towards the gangsters way of looking on life, as if they have no rules that they live by.
Title-
The titles are orange on a black background which makes them stand out, the actors names come up underneath there face on each of their close ups, this creates the feelings that they are all separate people and have different traits but are as one when in the group when the title Reservoir Dogs comes up behind them when they are walking away.
This is England opening
Genre-
The genre of this opening is in a documentary style, it uses real footage of the times, it uses iconic images of the times, such as the protests, Margaret Thatcher and the Royal wedding this means it is setting the time period it is in which allows the viewer more time to realise the story line then wonder at which time it was set.
Narrative-
The narrative of the opening is showing that it is in the 1980’s it is shown through fashions and fads at the time, these included skin heads and the rubex cube. It also showed you the inner workings of the time, it showed violence and racial hatred, there is a lot of riots and protests shown in this opening, then the Falklands war is shown which is shown after all the rest, this can be shown that at the time the war was on the back of peoples minds and people were more interested in what was going on at home.
Characters-
No main character is shown throughout the clip, many renowned figures from this era are shown, these include Diana and Prince Charles and Margaret Thatcher this again takes the viewer into this time and shows the situation at the time.
Atmosphere-
The atmosphere shown through out this time is show to be revolutionary, with lots of people standing up for what they believe in. There is a lot of aggression at this time and it shows the state of England as almost losing control.
Themes-
The themes that run throughout this opening are new technologies, at this time was when technologies really started to move forward quickly, looking back it is dated but shows the difference in life styles to now. The changes in society are evident through the clashes of nationalities and different groups.
Setting-
The settings all show the main talking points of that era, they show the Royal wedding, Margaret Thatcher and the Falklands war. Another setting that is shown very often is discos, they were very big in the 80’s so again showed the difference in life to the present day.
Sound-
The track playing over the opening is a reggae/ska, this is a very happy sounding song which is juxtaposed to the images on the screen, this gives the view that all these things were happening but people were doing anything about it and were not on peoples minds.
Titles-
The initial titles are white on a black background, this means they stand out, but later on the titles are in the corner of the picture but the viewer is more inclined to be focusing on the action on screen which shows that the director was more interested on the viewer seeing the time it was set.
Apocalpyse Now
Genre-
From the opening you begin to get a feel of what genre this film fits in with. The first shot is of trees that are iconic of the jungles that the vietnam war was fought within. This feeling of war is shown when an army helicoptor flies ahead of the camera. This is made to subtly show the genre of the film is a war/action film.
Narrative-
The opening shows how vast and duanting the war was and how it had a lasting affect on the soilders who fought it. The use of a widespread fire burning in the reflection of the mans eyes is used to show how images like that become engraved on peoples minds. This opening does not glorify war but to show how even if a soilder leaves the "jungle" it never leaves him. This is what the character says later on in the opening. It shows how even though in reletive safety he can not sleep well and is showing signs of mental instability.
Characters-
The character shown is a male soilder. He is not in uniform but you know he is a soilder through his narrative. He is not shown to be smartly dressed as you would expect but instead he is depicted in just shorts and at one point when he is shown to be losing his sanity he is shown to be naked. This could be to show his innocence of such danger and mental strain.
Atmosphere-
The atmosphere is heavy and full of fear and waiting. It is made by the eery soundtrack and the heavy objects that you can see, all of the objects are big and captivating, firstly the trees then the helicoptor then fire which juxtaposes with the image of the soilder laying on his bed, it shows how small one man is compared to the war.
Themes-
The themes that are shown to run through the opening is nature and man made things that kill. It is this juxtaposition that makes the war seem so unnatural, this is shown heavily through the fire which is obviously man made at such a scale but is a natural thing. The biggest theme that runs throughout is the affect war has on the individual.
Setting-
The opening begins with a shot of a forest, the camera is not inside the forest but looking onto it, it is shown to be filmed from off the ground. This is to show how vast the scale of the fighting and destruction is. This is backed up when the fire rages through the forest.
Sound-
The opening starts off in silence to begin with, this is so the audience can take stock and are solely concentrating on the forest. Music slowly starts to play, it is very slow and quiet music which is shown when the camera slowly pans through images of vast destruction and fire, which juxtaposes such a calm song to the death shown on screen.
Titles-
No titles are shown in the opening. This could have been done to make the film seen less staged and truer to life.
Tuesday 25 January 2011
To show the differences between opening and trailers i am going to look at 8 different points on each, this way i can compare them equally and easier to view the differences and similarities.
Opening
Genre- Spy/action
Narrative- Gambling, guns, fighting and Love.
Character- James Bond- he is shown to be powerful and destructive.
Atmosphere- Sneaky, suspicious and violent.
Themes- Gambling, fighting and love.
Setting- Casino.
Sound- Soundtrack throughout.
Titles- Plain white, singuluar words, draws attention.
The genre is easily spotted in this opening by the different fights that are shown, they also use the suite of cars, Hearts, very often which shows that love is a big theme in this film. The atmosphere is sneaky and agressive through different action sequences. The sound that is used is rocky and hard, this gives the film a rough feel and adds to the atmosphere. The titles that are used are to show definition of the bond franchise.
Trailer
Opening
Genre- Spy/action
Narrative- Gambling, guns, fighting and Love.
Character- James Bond- he is shown to be powerful and destructive.
Atmosphere- Sneaky, suspicious and violent.
Themes- Gambling, fighting and love.
Setting- Casino.
Sound- Soundtrack throughout.
Titles- Plain white, singuluar words, draws attention.
The genre is easily spotted in this opening by the different fights that are shown, they also use the suite of cars, Hearts, very often which shows that love is a big theme in this film. The atmosphere is sneaky and agressive through different action sequences. The sound that is used is rocky and hard, this gives the film a rough feel and adds to the atmosphere. The titles that are used are to show definition of the bond franchise.
Trailer
Genre-Spy-action
Narrative -Killing, Betrayal, Love, Redemption
Character- James bond – spy, cold hearted and killer.
Atmosphere- Spy, Tension, Upbeat and Fast.
Themes- Action, Spy, Love, Betrayal, Survival.
Setting- Jungle, Casino, Hotel, Sea.
Sound: Theme tune throughout creates tension and familiarity.
Title- Stands out, Uses logo in title, White on dark background stands out, Grabs attention, Creates familiarity with brand products.
The theme is spy and action runs throughout the piece, it is created through the settings which create tension.
Thursday 20 January 2011
Differences between Opening and Trailers.
To show the differences between opening and trailers of the same film. I am going to be concentrating on 8 different points on each, this way i can compare them equally and easily view the differences and similarities.
There are large differences between a film opening and trailer. These difference are easy to spot but some films do intergrate techniques through the two. One of the techniques is that they both create the same atmosphere and have the same themes. This is used for most openings and trailers as the the audience knows what type of film it is and so they can know what to expect when they watch the film.
Aspects found in:
Trailers-
Opening-
Casino Royale Opening
Genre- Spy/action
Narrative- Gambling, guns, fighting and Love.
Character- James Bond- he is shown to be powerful and destructive.
Atmosphere- Sneaky, suspicious and violent.
Themes- Gambling, fighting and love.
Setting- Casino.
Sound- Soundtrack throughout.
Titles- Plain white, singuluar words, draws attention.
The genre is easily spotted in this opening by the different fights that are shown, they also use the suite of cars, Hearts, very often which shows that love is a big theme in this film. The atmosphere is sneaky and agressive through different action sequences. The sound that is used is rocky and hard, this gives the film a rough feel and adds to the atmosphere. The titles that are used are to show definition of the bond franchise.
Casino Royale Trailer
There are large differences between a film opening and trailer. These difference are easy to spot but some films do intergrate techniques through the two. One of the techniques is that they both create the same atmosphere and have the same themes. This is used for most openings and trailers as the the audience knows what type of film it is and so they can know what to expect when they watch the film.
Aspects found in:
Trailers-
- The trailer contains more information about the whole film.
- Trailer shows clips of the film to give a over view of what the film will include.
- In the trailer the characters are shown, so the audience can start to decide there feelings on each person as the trailer show us some of there personality.
- Trailers usually include tag lines this is so the film becomes memorable. E.g Terminator (1984) "I will be back"
- In the trailer there aren’t any titles until the ending, but more emphasis is made on the film title so people remember the trailer there isn't as many but they are on for longer.
Opening-
- Openings should welcome the audience and introduce
- The opening sound is literally a soundtrack
- Opening there are a lot of titles, including names of actors, producers and companies
Casino Royale Opening
Genre- Spy/action
Narrative- Gambling, guns, fighting and Love.
Character- James Bond- he is shown to be powerful and destructive.
Atmosphere- Sneaky, suspicious and violent.
Themes- Gambling, fighting and love.
Setting- Casino.
Sound- Soundtrack throughout.
Titles- Plain white, singuluar words, draws attention.
The genre is easily spotted in this opening by the different fights that are shown, they also use the suite of cars, Hearts, very often which shows that love is a big theme in this film. The atmosphere is sneaky and agressive through different action sequences. The sound that is used is rocky and hard, this gives the film a rough feel and adds to the atmosphere. The titles that are used are to show definition of the bond franchise.
Casino Royale Trailer
Genre-Spy-action
Narrative -Killing, Betrayal, Love, Redemption
Character- James bond – spy, cold hearted and killer.
Atmosphere- Spy, Tension, Upbeat and Fast.
Themes- Action, Spy, Love, Betrayal, Survival.
Setting- Jungle, Casino, Hotel, Sea.
Sound: Theme tune throughout creates tension and familiarity.
Title- Stands out, Uses logo in title, White on dark background stands out, Grabs attention, Creates familiarity with brand products.
The theme is spy and action runs throughout the piece, it is created through the settings which create tension and action scenes. The sound track used is the James bond tune, it is instantly recognisable which means it creates the instant knowledge that it is part of a good franchise of films. Under the talk of killing and espionage the conversation of love is repeated, this shows that in this film James Bond finds love.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)